Apparatus for feeding fire-hose.



T. B. TURLEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FIRE HOSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-5,1916- I g N 1 %24 @4L6 Patented Apr. 24, 1911.

2 SHEETS SHEET l.

T. B. TURLEY.

APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FIRE HOSE.

APPLICMION FILED AUG- 5, 1916.

1 224 046 Patented Apr. 241-, 1917.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2a, 1917.

Application filed August 5, 1916. Serial No. 113,393.

I a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Feeding Fire-Hose, of which the. following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to means for handling and manipulating fire-hose and the like.

. llhe general object of my said invention is to provide an apparatus capable of expeditiously feeding or moving fire-hose endwise, and this notwithstanding the metallic couplings that occur at intervals in such.

hose, and with but little effort on the part of an operator.

A secondary object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus for the purpose stated, embodying such a combination and relative arrangement of parts that it can be readily applied to a hose at an intermediate point in the length thereof.

The invention is susceptible of use on a ladder, window-sill or other available support for moving a hose upwardly; and it may also be used to advantage for feeding or moving a hose in other directions as oocasion demands.

In the accompanying drawings which are hereby made a part hereof:

Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section taken in a plane at the inner side of one of the side walls of the apparatus frame.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing the lower set of rolls and the driving connections.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken through cooperating rolls of the lower and upper sets.

Fig.4: is a fragmentary elevation taken at a. right angle to Fig. 3 and showing the latch in full and dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the leverequipped nuts, preferably employed in the attachment of the apparatus to a ladder.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified latch for securing the apparatus in closed position, upon a hose.

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation illustrative of a mode of driving the upper rolls as well as the lower rolls when such operation is deemed expedient.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings.

It is to be understood that my novel ap- I paratus is to be used for rapidly moving a hose up a ladder or in any other direction while the hose is distended or under the pressure of a head of water, as well as when the hose is empty. 1

In the best p actical embodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised, the frame of'the apparatus comprises a lower section and an upper section; the lower section having side plates 1, and the upper section having side plates 2, one of which is hinged at 3, Figs. 2 and 3, to the corresponding side plate 1 so that the upper section can be arranged in superimposed relation on the lower section, as shown, or may be swung from above the lower section, as when it is desired to place the apparatus on a hose with the lower set of rolls below and the upper set of rolls above the hose. The lower frame section is preferably, though not necessarily, equipped with hooks 4 for attaching it to the rungs 5 of a ladder, Fig. l; the said hooks having threaded shanks to engage nuts 6, and the nuts being provided with pivoted levers 7 for the rapid manipulation of the nuts.

Suitably mounted between the sides or plates 1 of the lower frame section are rolls 8 of the lower set of rolls, and carried between the sides or plates 2 of the upper frame section are the rolls 9 of the upper set. All of the rolls are grooved circumferentially, Figs. 2 and 3, and .are corrugated as indicated by 10 in Fig. 2, or otherwise adapted to frictionally engage or take hold of a hose disposed lengthwise between the lower rolls and upper rolls.

Any suitable means may be, employed to transmit motion from a primary driver to the lower rolls. The construction shown comprises a shaft 11 bearing a crank 12 and connected through spur gearing 13 in a, casing 14: with one trunnion of one end roll 8, Figs. 2 and 3. comprises sprocket gears 15 fixed to the three lower rolls 8, and a sprocket belt 16 mounted on said gears whereby it will be observed that when the crank 12 is rotated the rolls 8 will be positively rotated in concert and in a common direction so as to feed lengthwise a hose clamped or secured between the said lower rolls and the upper rolls 9.

Each of the upper rolls 9 has a shaft 20, the end portions of which are movable ver- Said construction also an eccentric stra tically in slots 21 in the plates 2 of-the upper frame section, and each shaft 20 is equipped with a yoke 22 on which are bolts 23 movable up and down in slots 24. of said side plates. Between each yoke 22 and a crossbar 25 of the upper frame section, coiled springs 26 are interposed; said springs having for their function to yieldingly press the upper rolls against the hose in the apparatus. provision the rolls 8 are enabled when rotated to feed the hose; and it'will be appreciated also that the springs 26 will give and thereby enable the upper rolls 9 to accommodate themselves to a coupling, so that the hose may be rapidly fed or moved endwise irrespective of the couplings that occur at intervals inthe length of a fire-hosc.

For the purpose of securing the apparatus on a hose, 1 provide the latching means best shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. The: said means comprises a keeper 30 on the upper frame section, a latch 31 movable on a pin 32 on the lower frame section and into and out of engagement with said keeper and having 33, a transverse shaft 34, an eccentric 35 Xed on said shaft and disposed in said strap, a hand lever 36 fixed on said shaft, at the opposite side of the machine frame, and a spring-pressed deten't 37 carried by said lever and adapted to be moved into and out of apertures 38 in one plate lto secure the latch 31 in its engaged and disengaged positions. It will be manifest that after the rolls 8 and 9 are positioned at opposite sides of a hose, the latching means described enables an operator to expeditiously and easily secure the apparatus in closed position; also, that the apparatus may be readily unlatched and opened to permit of the convenient removal of the hose therefrom.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that when my novel apparatus is mounted in substantially upright position on a ladder, window sill or other support, it may be used by a fireman to powerfully and quickly feed or move a hose upwardly during a fire-fighting operation, so that the man at the nozzle end of the hose has nothing to do but to carry'the nozzle and direct it in the direction desired. It will also be understood that the apparatus may be used in other positions to feed a hose in any direc tion desired. It will further be understood that the apparatus can be so secured on a By virtue of the saidv from the apparatus mounted on a ladder or window sill the said clamping of the hose will enable the hose to serve as an escape for firemen in case of sudden danger. It is also to be understood that when the apparatus is mounted in upright position on a window sill or other support, one of the rolls 8 may be used after the manner of a capstan to raise a weight on a cable that is hitched about the roll.

If preferred the latching means shown in Fig. 6 may be employedin lieu of that shown in Figs. 1-4. The said latching means of Fig. 6 comprises keepers 30 on the lower section, an endwise-movable latch 31 having a pointed end to engage one keeper 30 and a hook-like end 31 to engage the other keeper, and a lever 33, pivoted at 34. on the upper frame section and connected at 35 to the latch 31. On movement endw ise of the latch 31 in one direction it will be engaged with the keepers, while movement endwise of the latch in the other direction will be attended'by disengagement of the same from itskeepers. 7

WVhen deemed expedient, the upper rolls 9 as well as the lower rolls 8may be positively driven, and for said purpose any suitable driving connections may be employed.

roll 8, and a sprocket belt 16, constructed and arranged to have one of its stretches extend between and engage the sprocket gears complementary to the lower rolls 8 and the upper rolls-9.

While the sprocket belt 16 is shown as composed of two connected sprocket chains, I would have it understood that said belt may be of any other type, provided it is adapted to engage the teeth of the opposed gears 9 and 15. Iv would also have it understood that the other stretch (not'shown) of the said belt is carried under and engages the sprocket gears 15 alone. I

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is:

1. A fire-hose feeding apparatus, comprising a frame, a series of rollsmounted in the frame, a series of rolls also mounted in the frame with their peripheries in opposed relation to-the peripheries of the rolls in the first-named series; the rolls of the two series being concave in .the direction of their lengths and being provided in said concave with means calculated to engage and feed a fire hose in the direction of the length thereof, and means for positively rotating one series of rolls in concert and in a common direction.

2. A fire-hose feedin apparatus, compris-' ing a frame, a serieso rolls mounted in the frame, a series ofrolls also mounted 1n the sing concave he and being p r conca a means calculate do and feed hose in the direction of the ion tnereoi, yielding hacking the-rolls one ser es adapt to yieldingly hold rolls to their Work and also adapted to the rolls to move away from the rolls other series who" coupling is enamored, and means In)" positively rotatseries oi rolls in concert and in a direction.

A fire-hose feeding apparatus, comprisg a frame, a seriesoi rolls mounted in the frame a series of rolls also mounted in the I Home With'their peripheries in opposed re lation to the peripheries of the rolls in the firsonamed series; the rolls of the two series being concave in the direction of their lengths and being provided in said concave with means calculated to engage and feed a fire hose 'in the direction oi the length thereof, yielding means backing the rolls of one series and adapted toyieldingly hold said rolls to their Work and also adapted to enable the rolls to move away from the rolls of the other series when a coupling is encountered, means for positively rotating one series of rolls in concert and in a com-= mon direction, and means for holding said rolls against retrograde rotation.

4:. An {apparatus for feeding fire-hose a to none rotation of one roll, and roll. s for feeding fire-hose, i sections hinged together means rdetachahly securing said sections in closed position, opposed rolls, one in each frame section, constructed and arranged to receive a hose between them and to feed the hose lengthwise on rotation of one roll,

means for rotating said roll, and means for holding the other roll -under yielding pres sure against a hose. v

6, An apparatus for feeding fire-hose, comprising frame sections hinged together a keeper on one section, a latch on the other section movable into andout of engagement with the keeper; a set of rolls in one section, a setoi spring-pressed rolls in the other section; said sets of rolls being constructed and arranged to engage and feed'a hose between them, and means forrotating the rolls, of one set in concert and in a common direction.

JOHN T. CROUCH, JOHN H. Rnsn.

and to feed the,

In testlmony whereof I have hereunto set 

